Girl Archaeologist: Sisterhood in a Sexist Profession

Girl Archaeologist is the story of Alice Kehoe's life, who persisted against entrenched patriarchy in her childhood, at Harvard University, and as she did fieldwork with her husband in the northern plains. Despite being denied a conventional career, Kehoe gained a wide circle of collaborators and colleagues through her unconventional breadth of research and empathy with First Nations people.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 230 pages
Publication date: 19 February 2022
Publisher: University of Nebraska Press

Alice Kehoe's remarkable life journey, spanning from an era vastly different from the modern world she retired from as an esteemed elder archaeologist, is intricately recounted in Girl Archaeologist. Despite facing entrenched patriarchy from her childhood through her time at Harvard University and her fieldwork alongside her husband in the northern plains, Kehoe persevered with unwavering determination. However, her path was not without challenges. A senior male professor attempted to derail her career by raping her, a devastating setback that was met with the refusal of her Harvard professors to allow her to pursue her dissertation in archaeology. Furthermore, she faced gender-based discrimination in the form of lower pay and limited opportunities compared to her male counterparts.

Despite these obstacles, Kehoe's unwavering commitment to her profession led her to publish a series of groundbreaking books and articles. Her unconventional research approach and deep empathy for First Nations people earned her a wide circle of collaborators and colleagues. Throughout her career, Kehoe tirelessly sought and fostered a sisterhood of feminists—strong, brilliant women archaeologists, anthropologists, and ethnohistorians—who have played a vital role in shaping the field.

Girl Archaeologist is a captivating tale that delves into the challenges and triumphs of one woman's pursuit of a professional career in a male-dominated field during a period of significant change in American middle-class expectations for women. Kehoe's story serves as a testament to the resilience and determination of women who have defied societal norms and pursued their passions, ultimately leaving a lasting impact on the field of archaeology.

Weight: 366g
Dimension: 152 x 229 x 18 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781496229366